O Shopping,,,Part 1

I was recently in a mall in Denver that is considered to be rather up-scale. The Cherry Creek Mall contains stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Diesel and Boss. Pretty nice, but I couldn't help thinking about the malls I've visited in Brazil, of course. The “shopping,” how you saw mall in Portuguese, resemble what we are used to in the United States but there are differences in the types of stores, the organization of those stores, the culture, and the people in the malls. I have never been a big mall guy, but I have to admit that these differences that I mentoined get me excited to go cruise the malls of Brazil.

 

http://www.salvadorshopping.com.br/

I would like to focus on what people are wearing when they go to catch a movie, window shop, or eat a Big Mac. Forget about sweat pants and t-shirts and think about trendy jeans, sexy tops, and expensive looking accessories. Getting together with fiends at the mall is not and event to dress down. I asked a friend in Salvador about this and she told me that Brazil is a violent place and the malls were realitively safe places where people could relax the alert level a bit, have fun, and be seen. I think it's partly that reason you see what you see in the malls and I think the other part is that the typical Brazilian is a little bit more formal in their dress than the typical American. Brazilians are aware of how they look if they are going to a fancy club, meeting some friends at the local street side bar, or just going for a walk.

I learned the dress code the hard was in 2007 which was my first visit to Brazil. I was staying with a friend in Salvador from my Portuguese class at the University of Colorado, and one day we decided to catch a movie at the mall. Salvador is on the coast and you see a lot of people in beach gear. I wore my board shorts and a tank-top and she wore a sundress a woman would wear over her bikini. We were comfortable and dressed like the people we saw near the beach. By the time we entered the mall and were halfway to the theater we looked at each other and I said, “I think we are a little bit underdressed.” It was obvious that we were tourists. I decided that in the future I would be a little more aware to how everyone looked around me and I would blend in better.

Whatever motivations Brazilians have for looking good just about everywhere they go is alright with me. When I'm in Brazil and speaking Portuguese everyday I have no problem adapting to their way of doing things. My experience there has also effected me when I'm in the U.S. I think about where I am going and I try to look my best.

Back in Colorado

I have to apologize for the time that has passed since my last post.  The problem is that I'm back in the U.S. and it seems that my creative juices dry up in the dry Colorado air.  I have thought about this problem and the only explanation I came up with is that the words seem to flow out of me when I am traveling and in an environment where I need to be “on” at all times.  Now that I have gotten to the bottom of the issue I can start to change it.  I realize I need to work a little harder to keep creativity flowing when I'm in the U.S., and that is alright with me. I still have a lot to share about Brazil and I like to write.  Thank you to everyone who checked out what I've had to say in the past and I will be traveling again.  I am going to post next week and it's going to be about the differences in the mall cultures of the United States and Brazil.  I get a kick out of it. Until then...Tchau!

Hamburgers

If you've been reading my blog it should be no surprise that I think about food all the time. I love to cook and I love to eat. One of the things I really like to cook, and eat are hamburgers. They are good anyway they come from the basic burger to the super fancy. My trip to Brazil this year I really got to thinking about what makes a great hamburger. In the United States a burger is good when it's made out of great meat, greasy, and you need to keep it in you hand after the first bite to keep it from falling apart. But without a doubt the star of the US hamburger is the meat.

The Brazilian hamburger is a little different and there is no lack of availability. There is a hamburger stand or a mobile hamburger and hotdog truck on about every corner. I hit one of them up at least once a week in order to develop my profound theory you are about to have the pleasure of discovering.

The first thing I noticed is the difference in the meat. I am not sure if it is domestic beef or if it is imported from Argentina or some other beef country. Every place I ate a hamburger in Brazil the patties they used came out of a box and they were thin preformed, and frozen. In the grocery stores the butcher will fresh grind your hamburger to order and it is more lean than the common ground beef we are used to in the United States. Where the burgers shine in Brazil are in the toppings arena. My favorite was the “x-tudo” (pronounced sheese-toodoo) which means a hamburger with everything. You have to remember that everything down there is different than everything up here. The x-tudo is usually made up of the following things: one patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, ham, a fried egg, corn, and potato strings. I have also seen patties of chicken that are part of this list or not. It is so good, but I feel it could be better.

To make the perfect burger I would combine the hand formed, fresh, and greasier American style meat with the wonderful toppings of the Brazilian burger. The perfect burger. I will be experimenting with this combination and maybe there is a hamburger stand in my future or some kind of street food cart.My idea is to offer hamburgers and hot dogs (that is another subject) from around the world. I will be fostering cultural understanding one burger at a time. I will have the horrible task of traveling around the world seeking out the local burger and dog. Someone has to do it and I am willing to take that bullet for all of you. It will be called, “Burgers From Around the World” or “Burger World” or “World Burger.” You get the jest. I'm going to need to be testing recipes and learning what the people want. Anyone want to help?

Brasil

As I am counting down the minutes until I leave for the airport to head back the the States I am reflecting on the things that make Brasil special for me. The things large and small, good and bad that make this country my home away from home. It has been raining for two days straight and I think that is where I will start this list:

The climate, rain, heat, and humidity in the summer or the winter, pastel, guaraná soft drinks, x-tudo, café do Brasil, pizza, pasta, Chinese food all done the Brazilian way, the way people dress, eat, talk, personal space, ice cream, coconut water directly out of the coconut, music, dancing, forró, samba, MPB, axé, smiling, what is funny and what is not, poverty, wealth, the way Brazilians pronounce my name, public transportation, the language, the culture, hot dogs & hamburgers with all of the toppings that come on them, the sweets, TV variety shows, soap operas, brigadiero, the beer and the way people drink and eat, beans and rice with everything, lunch is the biggest and most important meal, the women, becoming part of the family, snack bars, drinking beer in the line at the grocery store, drinking beer in the street, churrasco, North American influence, the beach, the bikini, sexuality, beach food, drinking cold beer on a hot beach, organized chaos, dressing up to go to the mall, the mall culture, costume parties in November, political corruption, friendly chats in Portuguese about the differences between the US and Brasil when they find out I am not from here, self-service, the passion for futebol or soccer as we know it, and there is always a way...

By no means is this an exhaustive list. Those of you that have places that resonate within your soul will know what I am talking about. The things that make an experience abroad magical are for me and those that have ventured out of their protective bubble and challenged themselves to discover a larger world. I have been trying to provide a little superficial experience for those of you who are afraid or can't get out. If you want to learn more about my experiences, drop me a line and I would love to chat one on one. Until next time where the post will come from the good ol' US of A!

Southern Hemisphere Thanksgiving

When I planned my trip to Brazil this year I realized that I would be in the Southern Hemisphere for Thanksgiving. Since Thanksgiving is a truly American holiday I knew my turkey dinner smothered in gravy would have to wait until next year. To my surprise I started working at the American School of Belo Horizonte (EABH) and all of a sudden that turkey dinner was like a light at the end of a tunnel. EABH is an international K – 12 school that follows American educational values as well as the American school calender. The language of instruction is English and both Brazilian and American holidays are observed. I am not sure when these kids go to school! Because of this fact EABH celebrates Thanksgiving for the parents and their children. I was told it would be a “traditional Thanksgiving meal.” The food at the school cafeteria is much better than what I remember when I was a kid eating frozen pizza for lunch at school. I was still suspicious. This is Brazil after all and Brazilians like to eat bean and rice with everything including pasta and potatoes. Imagine ordering a big hunk of lasagna and right next to it is a big pile of white rice. What would this “Thanksgiving” meal be like and what would their take be on one of my favorite times of the year to eat until I have to unbutton my pants? I found out on last Wednesday.

I arrived to a packed house with overwhelmed parents and excited children stuffing themselves. I tried not to look at what they were eating so I could be surprised when I got my food. I got in the line and anxiously waited to see what I was going to eat for this most sacred of American holidays. After 5 minutes in line and some small talk I finally arrived at the food. The first thing on the menu were ovos de codorna or quail eggs. What? You heard me right, hard boiled quail eggs and a cheese plate for starters. I passed. I am a turkey, stuffing, and gravy kind of guy. I was holding out hope. I arrived at the hot food to be greeted by what else but rice! I had a feeling they would not be able to make a meal without it. I passed again. Immediately after the rice I said hello to what I know as a thanksgiving meal: turkey, mashed potatoes, glorious gravy, candied carrots and my favorite...stuffing. I loaded my plate without trying to seem like too much of a pig and am American and I found a seat.

I started with the carrots because I wasn't sure what they were. They were sweet, crisp, and cooked just right. Next on the hit list were the mashed potatoes and they did not disappoint. There were thick, creamy, and rich and combined with the gravy they received two thumbs up from me. The turkey was a little dry but with the gravy or a little mashed potatoes it was good and scratched my itch for turkey. I saved the best for last and my experience with the rest of the meal gave me hope for the stuffing. Sadly, I was disappointed. It tasted like white bread with some liquid, of unknown origin, haphazardly poured over it with some green crunchy things that resembled lettuce. It didn't seem to be baked and there was no trace of sage. Your standard Stove Top Stuffing would have been better than what they attempted here.

Not to end on a sour note, I have to say that my overall impression of the meal: it was delicious and I have never sweated so much eating a Thanksgiving meal in my life! It was great to see people from all over the world enjoying something that is uniquely American other than Coca-Cola, Starbucks, or Michael Jackson. Thanksgiving is about bringing people together, slowing down, and remembering the importance of each other. At the EABH Thanksgiving Open House it was hot, there were people from all over the world speaking different languages, but I saw Thanksgiving in action.

You Say Churrasco, I Say Barbecue

Normally I like to come up with these posts in advance. Write it. Let it sit for a few days and then make them beautiful. Well, today I have decided to part from tradition and write something after I have been out drinking after I was already up until 2:30 am the night before...out drinking. I am convinced the beer helps my Portuguese. I am going to write this one time and I am not going to read it over to proof-read or anything like that. The main reason is because I am tired and I am going to a costume party tomorrow.

So as many of you know I am returning to the good ol' US of A in December. I came down here with a little money and big dreams. I didn't want to come back to the USA for a while. Brazil is a society based in the relationship. You have to get to know people before they make you one of their own. I needed to do this. I needed to build these relationships, these friendships that will get me to my dream. I am not sure what my dream is but I know that I am going to keep moving forward and focusing on the present and I know that dream will show itself.

For example. Tonight I called up a new friend who I am going to go to the party with tomorrow and asked him if he wanted to do with me to buy my ticket for the party. He said yes. We went to Diamond Mall and I got my ticket for $15 reais. There was also a futbol game on and I was one of the local teams here. We decided to go somewhere to watch the game. We ended up in a typical barzinho that served great churrasco that my friend knew of. I was planning on one beer. Rubem, my friend, doesn't drink and he was driving, with my meal that we shared...of course.

Rubem loves to speak English and speaks it as ofter as he can. The table behind heard us speaking English and made a smart ass, been drinking for a while comment that had something to do with us speaking English. He tried to say this in English. I turned around and asked if he spoke English in English and then I said in Portuguese: "I understood, yourGo English is perfect!" His wife and he began laughing embarrassedly. They couldn't believe that I could speak Porutuguese. After some small talk and the game ended, tied, my friend and I moved to the couples table behind us and proceeded to have conversations about all kind of things...in Portuguese.

After 3 or 4 more beers we had talked about the American School of Belo Horizonte, business, importing, exporting, marrige, and then some. Bottom line: this guy was helping me to think of ideas on how I can stay in Brazil and I am sending him my resume next week in Portuguese and in English. Who knows what will come of it, but I am making the connections that I need to be making. I am becoming one of them. I don't think this would have happened if I had not been able to speak Portuguese. Thanks Cris!

Good luck! I am going to bed...

Yeah Baby, You'd Dig It The Most

Remember the first scene after the credits from that 1994 classic, Pulp Fiction? Jules and Vincent riding in a car and talking about Vincent's recent trip to Amsterdam while they are on their way to do some gangster shit, at 7 am. In this weeks post I decided to educate you on Brazil using the first scene of this stellar movie. I have rewritten the dialogue of Jules and Vincent as if Vincent has just returned from Brazil. I hope you enjoy it and I hope Quentin Tarantino doesn't get mad.

Vincent: Yeah baby, you'd dig it the most. But you know what the funniest thing about Brazil is?

Jules: What?

Vincent: It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same shit down there that we got here, but it's just – it's just there it's a little different.

Jules: Example?

Vincent: All right. Well, you can buy a beer at the bus-stop. And I don't mean just like in no paper cup, I'm talking about a tall-boy can of beer. And you can drink that beer on the bus. And you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Brazil?

Jules: They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?

Vincent: Nah, man, they speak Portuguese down there, they wouldn't know what the fuck you were saying if you said Quarter Pounder with Cheese.

Jules: What do they call it?

Vincent: They call it a “Quaterão com Queijo.”

Jules: “Quaterão com Queijo.”

Vincent: That's right.

Jules: What do they call a Big Mac?

Vincent: A Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they say, “Bigie Mackie.”

Jules: “Bigie Mackie.” [laughs] What do they call a Whopper?

Vincent: I don't know, I didn't see a Burger King. You know what they put on their pizza in Brazil?

Jules: What?

Vincent: Catchup and mayonnaise.

Jules: Awww, yuck!

Vincent: I seen em' do it man, they fuckin' drown it in that shit. What about hotdogs?

Jules: They don't use mustard and relish an' shit?

Vincent: Nope

Jules: I'm scared to ask.

Vincent: Mozzarella cheese, potato straws, corn, and get this, raisins!

Jules: Raisins?!

Vincent: Yep...they put them right on top of everything else.

Jules: Those ain't little differences.

Vincent: You know what the best thing about Brazil is?

Jules: What?

Vincent: I ain't never seen a Starbucks.

Jules: Huh...No baby...YOU dig it the most...